Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-05-23
0ccan sleamers CoIIiGe.

secOad-ciass matter.
Ocean steamers Collide.
On Thursday, May 10, at 5:55 p. m, while
the weather was cain and the sea smooth,
with dense fog, the British steamer Celtic,
of the White star line, from Liverpool,
came into collision with the British steamer
Britannia, of the same line, from New York
for Liverpool, striking her on the port side
aft and doing considerable damage. The
B7ilanDic's boats were lowered and filled
with women and children from the cabin and
steerage in very orderly and expeditions
manner. 1t is to their shame that several
men forced themselves into the boats also
Meanwhile an examination was made and
the damage TO the Britannic ascertained,
end. it being found that the vessel was not
| likely to founder such boats es were within
hail were recalled and their occupants re-
| ceiVed on board. The others had boarded
the Celtic. a pad was made and placed
over the hole in the. Britannic's side, and
she was turned about toward New York,
| baviug arranged with the Celtic TO keep
company. The saddest and most deplorabe
result of the accident is that several steer
age passengers who were lounging about
! aft at the time of the collision were killed
and several others injured. Both vessels,
accompanied by the steamships Marengo
| British fro!n Swansea for New York,
aud British Queen BRITISH from
Liverpool for New York, arrived at
the bar at one O'Clock yesterday
morning. The above report is from the
purser Of the Britannia, who refused any
further information. The Celtic's bow was
| stove in, but otherwise the vessel was not
much damaged The Britannic's compart-
ment is full of water. Il was during dense
! fog that the collision occurred. The Celtic
struck the Britannia bow on, hitting her
| abaft the mizzen. mast at No. hatch. The
| Celtic had perceived the danger, reversed
| her engines and struck the Britannia a
glancing blow, when the latter commenced
! 10 fill rapidly The fe.boats were immedi-
ately launched and the w6fk of transferring
tho passengers to the Celtic began. All the
women and children were first taken into
| the boats. Several Of the male steerage
| passengers jumped into the boats rs they
were leaving the ships side, otherwise the
passengers behaved admirably. -Four grown
| persons and little girl, all steerage passen-
gers on the Britannia, were killed, and
seven or eight persons injured. Two of the
latter had their arms and legs broken. The
collision occurred about eighty miles from
the mainland, about eff Nantucket.
! The Britannia was on her course, head
ing about east by north, while the
Celtic was evidently lost and had her bow
pointing about south. The Celtic struck
| the Britannia on the port side at the mlZzen
| rigging and only few feet astern OF the al
tor end of the boiler room. The mizzen rig
| giDg, iron work and all were wrenched from
! - 1t-ra fr0O1
| foundation as far ait as the iigger mast and
the after turtle back was carried into the
air and overheard as though il Was made Of
pasteboard. The blow was q gancing one,
! the iow OF the Celtic striking at less than
right sngle as the Celtic glanced along
tho size il rabounded twice in its course,
smashing two small boats to pieces and
| bending the heavy iron force pump that
stood near The butchers quarters over
against the deck like piece OF tin. AS the
bow struck the pump it caught in asteerage
passenger whose name is not known, as he,
| irresoluta in his excitement, was unable to
get out Of the way in time, crushed him
against the iron and cut the body complete.
" in two A little girl of about IL years OF
age named Robinson, who was with her
mother and brother on her way to England
for q visit, was also crushed by the bow, her
face and breast being split open through the
middle. The scenes that followed are va
rjously described Mr. E. Storey, of South
Boston, q passenger on the Brltannlc, was
seen in New York last night, after he had
been brought up with the other passengers,
both cabin and steerage, on the mail boat.
He said There was very dense fog
at the time of the collision, and horns
were blowing continually. Between
$50 and p IN. on Thursday we heard the
for horn of another vessel. | went on
deck and peered eagerly into the mist.
There was a great commotion on our deck.
| ran 10 the port bow, but it was not for
several minutes that could see anything.
Then distinguished the large black hull of
q steamer bearing down on Us. Signals to
slow I'D we're given on our vessel. We were
proceeding at about regular fog speed, while
the other steamer seemed to have little or
no headway on. AS the approaching vessel
discovered US she changed her course some
what and struck us obliquely abaft the
steerage gangway. Reboundng, she struck
again and again, but with less force each
time, and finally she slipped along under
our stern and came up partly on the other,
the starboard side There were evidently
orders to launch boats, although / heard
none given, for half dozen boats we're
manned and launched. The storage pas
sengers rushed for the boats, but were drlv-
en- back by the officers and crew and the
ladies allowed to embark first. Three boat
loads were taken to the Celtic and the
fourth was ready when Capt. Perry an
nounced that there was no danger of sink
ing, as the damage was confined to the
fourth compartment, which was full OF va
ter. This quieted the passenger Mr
Smith believed that the killed numbered
four adults and little girl. Some of the
steerage passengers tell different story